Superhero Madness (with a Twist) - Seed Thread

The Game Room
1

OK, new game. We’re gonna put together a superhero brawl. But we’re doing to do it a little different than what we’ve seen before, a little bit more involved, and it may entirely crash and burn on me, but we’ll see. We’re going to add elements of semi-consensual seeding and some random chance in the battles so there’s a possiblity of a Cinderalla upset.

Here are the rules.

Any type of superhero will do - comic, film, book, whatever. I’m personally zeroing in on what I know best, which would be DC, Marvel, and some Wildstorm heroes with my seeds.

You may choose living, dead, depowered, or altered heroes, but do not choose the same hero twice (for example, no Jean Grey and Phoenix…unless you’re talking about a different Phoenix. Alternately, you could use Binary, even though she’s Ms. Marvel now…again. Furthermore, examples such as Golden Age Superman and Silver Age Superman count as one person, but Golden Age Flash and Silver Age Flash are different people).

You will need to create a list of 40 heroes. Seed them with your top ranking at #1, and your lowest at #40. I will tally the votes for each hero and create a ranking of the top 64 seeds. A #1 vote will count for 40 points, a #2 vote will count for 39 points, all they way to 1 point for a #40 vote. I anticipate (hopefully) far more than 64 heroes to be named by the time the seeding is done.

The top four seeds will become the top seed in each of four brackets, and the remaining 60 seeds will be distributed randomly (handy 4-sider!) to the other brackets, which may cause a couple top-heavy brackets…but hey, that’s how seeding works, right? Sometimes one bracket has a couple heavy hitters in it.

Then the pairings kick in…and there will be an element of random chance in them, but we’ll get to that when we get to that.

With all that in mind, here’s my list of 40 that I came up with. There’s no real rhyme or reason to the names I picked, I just wrote them down as they came to me until I had 40. Then I gave them a rough ranking.

  1. Superman
  2. Silver Surfer
  3. Hulk
  4. Captain Marvel (Billy Batson)
  5. Thor
  6. Hyperion
  7. Apollo
  8. Wonder Woman
  9. Martian Manhunter
  10. Doctor Fate
  11. Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
  12. Invisible Woman
  13. Orion
  14. Jean Grey
  15. Professor X
  16. She-Hulk
  17. Iron Man
  18. The Flash (Wally West)
  19. Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
  20. The Thing
  21. Namor
  22. Scarlet Witch
  23. Doctor Strange
  24. Batman
  25. Aquaman
  26. Spider-Man
  27. Captain America
  28. Midnighter
  29. Wolverine
  30. Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
  31. Mister Fantastic
  32. Winter Soldier
  33. Nightwing
  34. Green Arrow
  35. Cyclops
  36. Starman
  37. Robin
  38. Human Torch
  39. Booster Gold
  40. Adam Strange

Let’s go through Tuesday, July 8, to get your seeds in. Hope you enjoy the ride!

2
  1. Doctor Manhattan
  2. The World Doctor (from Authority)
  3. Captain Marvel (DC)
  4. Wonder Woman
  5. Hostage Negotiator Harry “The Word” Lovelace
  6. The Great and Powerful Turtle
  7. Peter Petrelli
  8. Zatanna
  9. Martian Manhunter
  10. Stargirl
  11. Plastic Man
  12. Killowog
  13. Midnighter
  14. Major Disaster
  15. Apollo
  16. Hiro Nakamura
  17. Bubbles
  18. Batman
  19. Jay Garrick (The Flash)
  20. Captain Tripps
  21. Raven
  22. Aquaman
  23. Detective John “King Peacock” Corbeau
  24. Impulse
  25. Doctor Midnight
  26. Matter Eater Lad
  27. Hericane
  28. Wally West (The Flash)
  29. Cyborg
  30. Booster Gold
  31. Hourman
  32. Wildcat
  33. Karate Kid
  34. The Shadow
  35. The Punisher
  36. Iron Man
  37. Carnifex
  38. The Question
  39. The Commedian
  40. Thor

(In interrest of full disclosure, my numbers past 19 were pretty arbitrary in their distribution)

3

[ol]
[li] Superman[/li][li]Batman[/li][li]The Sprit[/li][li]Buffy the Vampire Slayer[/li][li]The Flash (Barry Allen)[/li][li]Green Lantern (Hal Jordon)[/li][li]Spider-Man[/li][li]Howard the Duck[/li][li]Swamp Thing[/li][li]The Spectre[/li][li]Jonn J’onzz[/li][li]Plastic Man[/li][li] Ambush Bug[/li][li]Robotman[/li][li]Captain America[/li][li]Rohrschach[/li][li]Captain Justice[/li][li]Swamp Thing[/li][li]Lobo the Duck (not a typo – from Amalgam Comics)[/li][li]The Atom (silver age)[/li][li] Red Torndo[/li][li]The Vision[/li][li]Deadman[/li][li]Green Arrow[/li][li]The Hulk[/li][li]The Middleman[/li][li]Thermoman (from My Hero)[/li][li]Captain Nice[/li][li]Ferro Lad[/li][li]Black Canary[/li][li]Matter Eater Lad[/li][li]The Tick[/li][li]Julius Furst[/li][li]Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt[/li][li]Wonder Woman[/li][li]Lightning Lad[/li][li]Starman[/li][li]Herbie[/li][li]Doctor Manhattan[/li][li]Mon-El[/li][/ol]

4

Fun idea. More or less just in the order they came to me. I figure that would be the most accurate idea of their importance to me as a comic fan.

  1. Batman
  2. Superman
  3. Spiderman
  4. Green Lantern (Hal Jorden)
  5. Iron Man
  6. The Flash (Barry Alan)
  7. Capt America
  8. Wolverine
  9. Hellboy
  10. The Green Arrow (Olie Queen)
  11. Thor
  12. The Flash (Wally West)
  13. The Spirit
  14. The Shadow
  15. Wonder Woman
  16. The Sandman (Golden Age)
  17. The Flash (Jay Garrick)
  18. The Green Lantern (Allan Scott)
  19. Nightcrawler
  20. Capt. Marvel (Shazam)
  21. Flash Gordon
  22. The Punisher
  23. The Beast (Hank McCoy)
  24. Kitty Pride
  25. Cyclops
  26. Jean Grey
  27. Iceman
  28. Daredevil
  29. The Human Torch (Johnny Storm)
  30. The Thing
  31. Cerebus (sort of a superhero?)
  32. Mister Fantastic
  33. Swamp Thing
  34. Doc Savage
  35. Green Lantern (John Stewart)
  36. Starman
  37. Plastic Man
  38. The Phantom
  39. Sub Marinor
  40. The Hulk
5

As others have said, the rankings are somewhat random.

  1. Superman
  2. Batman
  3. Spiderman
  4. Wonder Woman
  5. Wolverine
  6. Captain Marvel (the Shazam one)
  7. Mr Fantastic
  8. Spirit (Denny Colt)
  9. Hulk
  10. Daredevil
  11. Iron Man
  12. Green Arrow
  13. Captain America
  14. Thing
  15. Martian Manhunter
  16. Green Lantern (Hal Jordan is the one I grew up on)
  17. Nexus
  18. Dr Manhattan
  19. Flash (Barry Allen)
  20. Plastic Man
  21. Black Panther
  22. Phantom Stranger
  23. Storm
  24. Ambush Bug
  25. Cyclops
  26. Tick
  27. Comedian
  28. Zantanna
  29. Monolith (Tommy Czuchra)
  30. Midnighter
  31. Concrete
  32. Vision
  33. Hawkeye
  34. Fat Fury (Herbie Popnecker)
  35. Christian Walker (Powers)
  36. Marvelman/Miracleman
  37. Confessor (Astro City)
  38. Kemlo “Hyperdog” Caesar (Top 10)
  39. Hiro Nakamura
  40. The Great and Powerful Turtle (Wild Cards)
6

I just have to point this out (in a loving and non-judgmental way):
As a non-comic book guy, reading this paragraph makes no sense whatsoever. The examples given look apparently contradictory. I’m sure they are not and anyone with a clue would understand. I just thought it funny that golden age/silver age for superman is the same person, but golden age/silver age for flash is not and no reasoning is given (nor apparently needed) to explain why.

7

Golden Age and Silver Age Superman are both Clark Kent, dude from Krypton working as a reporter (although with the current situation, they’re two seperate Clark Kents, but i’m not getting into that). Whereas Golden Age Flash is Jay Garrick, and the Silver Age Flash is Barry Allen, two quite seperate characters who take on the same role and name.

But hey, most subjects can look nuts to an outside observer. :wink:

8

What’s funny is that I pared that paragraph down a LOT to make it simpler! I figured anyone who needed to understand what it said would…! :smiley:

9

Here we go. More support for Jack Bauer!

  1. Batman
  2. Spider-Man
  3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  4. Hiro Nakamura
  5. The Terminator
  6. Jack Bauer
  7. Captain America
  8. Batman Beyond
  9. Donatello
  10. Leonardo
  11. Raphael
  12. Michaelangelo
  13. Blade
  14. Wolverine
  15. Robin
  16. Professor X
  17. Casey Jones
  18. Thor
  19. Hulk
  20. Silver Surfer
  21. Iron Man
  22. Peter Petrelli
  23. Claire Bennett
  24. The Tick
  25. Batgirl
  26. Superman
  27. The Punisher
  28. Rogue
  29. Cyclops
  30. Nightcrawler
  31. Gambit
  32. Daredevil
  33. Colossus
  34. Beast
  35. Archangel
  36. Storm
  37. Wonder Woman
  38. Birdman
  39. Space Ghost
  40. Human Torch
10

Okay, this’ll be hard. I’ll try not to overload the list with Marvel Mutants.

Batman
Impulse
Dream
Jack Jack Paar
Jesse Custer (Hey, he’s a superhero in my* book)
Deadpool
Frozone
Plastic Man
Nightwing
Dash Paar
Secret (from DC’s Young Justice)
Wolverine
Jubilee
Green Arrow
Chamber
Grifter
Hawkeye
Ukiah Oregon (see “Jesse Custer” comment)
Jarod/the Pretender
Ghost Rider (Danny Ketch)
Gambit
Archangel
Robin (Tim Drake)
Oracle
Domino
Rogue
Spider-Man
Daredevil
Elektra
The Tick
American Maid
Nightcrawler
Thor
Captain America
John Constantine (Hellblazer)
Max Mercury
Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
Flash (Barry Allen)
Black Canary

Is that 40?

11

The Green Lanterns are really getting hit by vote splitting.

12

My list - not great, but in approximate order they came to me.

Spiderman
Batman
Superman
Flash (Wally West)
Wonder Woman
Green Lantern (John Stewart)
Supergirl
Wolverine
Cyclops
Colossus
Iron Man
Storm
Rogue
Jubilee
Gambit
Nick Fury
Iceman
Silver Surfer
Batgirl
Nightwing
Hawkgirl
Captain America
Green Arrow
Hawkeye
Zatanna
Power Girl
Nightcrawler
Shadowcat
Beast
Daredevil
Flash (Barry Allen)
Martian Manhunter
The Question
Fro Zone
Mr Incredible
Elastigirl
Dash Parr
Violet Parr
Oracle
Pyro

13
  1. The Saint of Killers
  2. Silver Surfer
  3. Hulk
  4. Usagi Yojimbo
  5. Batman
  6. Dr. Manhattan
  7. Superman
  8. Spider-Man
  9. The Tick
  10. Ogami Itto
  11. Yorick (from Y: The Last Man)
  12. Wolverine
  13. Batman Beyond (Terry McGinnis)
  14. Groo
  15. Thor
  16. Black Panther
  17. The Thing
  18. Hercules
  19. Blue Beetle
  20. Booster Gold
  21. Black Bolt
  22. Beta Ray Bill
  23. Sasquatch (from Alpha Flight)
  24. John Carter (arguably the first superhero ever)
  25. Major Victory
  26. Savage Dragon
  27. Lobo
  28. Battle Pope
  29. Mario Mario
  30. Luigi Mario
  31. Bibbo w/Superman tshirt
  32. Conan the Cimmerian
  33. Thanos (he’s done some heroic deeds while on his best behavior)
  34. Hyperion
  35. Hawkeye
  36. Nick Fury
  37. Daredevil
  38. Ghost Rider
  39. The Punisher
  40. Space Ghost
    Whew . . . I’m a pretty big comic book fan and that was tough. Admitedly, it’s pretty random after the top 10. I restricted myself to only characters that I like, so some pretty obvious heavy-hitters failed to make the list.
14

I’m thinking 40 might’ve been a little ambitious for a general interest message board. Like I said above, even as a huge superhero fanboy it took me a little while to come up with 40.

Then again, given the average doper’s love of proving other people wrong, the mere suggestion that 40 is too tough might be the shot in the arm this thread needs.

15

See, and because I decided to go “steam of conciousness” with my choices, I don’t have some people on my list that I would probably have wanted now that I have looked at other people’s lists.

40 isn’t THAT bad.

16
  1. Revenant (from PS238)
  2. Batman
  3. The Question
  4. The Flash (Wally West)
  5. Mantium/Herschel Clay (from PS238)
  6. Nightcrawler
  7. Spider-Man
  8. Gambit
  9. Shadowcat
  10. Moon Shadow (from PS238)
  11. The Tick
  12. Spell Syrin (from PS238)
  13. Doctor Fate
  14. Etrigan/Jason Blood
  15. Storm
  16. Matter-Eater Lad
  17. Raven
  18. Martian Manhunter
  19. Green Arrow
  20. Steel
  21. Beast Boy
  22. Green Lantern (John Stewart)
  23. Plastic Man
  24. Rogue
  25. Zatanna
  26. Starfire
  27. Nightwing
  28. Max Mercury
  29. Beast
  30. Black Canary
  31. Multiple Man
  32. The Atom (Ray Palmer)
  33. Iceman
  34. Mister Miracle
  35. Deadman
  36. Squirrel Girl
  37. Scarlet Witch
  38. Swamp Thing
  39. Mr. Immortal
  40. Superman

It did take some effort to come up with 40 that I was willing to list, and which didn’t seem too redundant. Even so, I got a little silly toward the end.

I don’t expect the PS238 contingent to fare well against the more established characters, but it’s currently my favorite comic book, and I felt some of them deserved a mention.

17

Out of wonder, does only western literature and animation count, or can I pick characters from Manga and Anime? (We could settle this Goku vs Superman debate once and for all, although I know for sure Goku would be creamed judging by my knowledge of the Dope’s taste).

18

Also, are we doing this normal madness style (i.e. popularity contest) or is it actually a BRAWL and we want to explain why we think our choice would beat the first choice? (I think the latter wou;d be more fun, but I can understand if we want to keep it simple and do the former)

19

I’m not a fan-girl of the comic genre, but lemme see if I can come up with 40.
1 Superman
2 Batman
3 Wonder Woman
4 Bionic Woman
5 Six-Million Dollar Man
6 Incredible Hulk
7 Flash
8 Green Lantern
9 The Crimson Chin
10 Darkwing Duck
11 Batgirl
12 Wolverine
13 Storm
14 Mario and Luigi
15 Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy
16 Speed Racer
17 Captain America
18 Spiderman
19 Hellboy
20 Stretch Armstrong
21 Tick
22 Danny Phantom
23 Catman
24 Mr Incredible
25 Invisible Woman
26 Mr Fantastic
27 Human Torch
28 Thing
29 Aquaman
30 Wonder Twins
31 Hawkman
32 Plastic Man
33 Atom Ant
34 Underdog
35 Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law
36 Mighty Mouse
37 Hong Kong Phooey
38 PowerPuff Girls
39 The Punisher
40 Ironman
Heh, some unorthodox picks from the non comic fan. :smiley: I can’t believe I got to 40!

20

Ya know, I gave that a lot of thought…I figured if we went with 10 or 20, there’d be too much overlap and possibly not get 64 names! Dear God, was I wrong (which is fine!) I figured most people would do what they are doing, thinking a bit about their top names and then going willy-nilly later on in the list (for heaven’s sake, I put Winter Soldier on mine.) In any case, I knew that people might not want to particpate in the seed thread but would in the voting - which is kind of how it works in real life, anyway!

I’m in awe of the names that are coming up, and totally kicking myself. Dr. Manhattan! I should have had that one!

Please, any genre at all. I saw Mario and Luigi on a list already! As for your second question, believe it or not (Hey! Greatest American Hero! Should have put that one on my list, too!) we’re gonna do a little of both. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but I’ve got a system in mind that will allow weighted votes for battle description. It’s a part of the randomness I’ve put together. Although, I want to stress, if people just want to vote the normal way, they can and should.